NEWS of the WEEK

Compared to Transfers week, this past week has been comparatively quiet. We have worked long hours but have been able to keep up and catch up to all the paperwork, letters, financials & flats. Don has been busy looking for flats for missionaries assigned to the Brittania Ward that also meets in the Hyde Park Chapel. He goes with the president to check the flats personally. President Patch has been interviewing this week: couples assigned to areas outside of Central London + companionships assigned to the Hyde Park area. Because we are now able to do all of the office work, this frees up the office elders to spend several hours proselyting. They have also been busy doing what I call a "clean and sort" -- cleaning the storage area in the basement which 'houses' Books of Mormon in all languages, mission supplies, pass-along cards, office supplies, dvds, etc.; they've also done some tidying up around the office itself, and they have organized cupboard contents and cleaned up the filing cabinets--these are great workers! The AP's have been gone 3 out of the 5 days on 'workovers', where they split up, each taking a new companion from the zone and spending time training and teaching the new comp in his own area. The APs really take their responsibilities seriously--it is sacred to them: it shows in how they speak, and stand, and how they use their time and how they treat those in their charge. They are also thoughtful of others, and this time it was with us that they bestowed a treat: I found a case of A&W root beer on my desk! They knew we couldn't buy it here, and that we like it, and so while they were traveling close to the air force PX they stopped and picked up this gift for us! What a nice surprise--it felt just like Christmas! Elder Monk said it was a thank you for all our hard work!

On Saturday we did the usual: laundry, cleaning the flat, grocery shopping, and then, perhaps surprising even ourselves a bit, set out to see the Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. We took the Tube both ways. We wore ourselves out with walking and climbing flights of stairs, but it was worth it. What a fascinating place with history beginning with the Romans as early as 200 A.D. There were two areas inside the Tower's 18 acres where the early ruins have been excavated.

First we walked over and back across the Tower Bridge, enjoying being outside in the warm weather and admiring the views of the River Thames traffic and the Thames Festival on Potter's Green. The Tower Bridge is a functioning drawbridge that offers quite a view of the Tower of London -- which is not just one single stone tower but a complex of buildings that has a variety of architectural styles within its walls added during its centuries-long development. Its uses and purposes have varied from royal housing to fortress to museum & tourist attraction to current home of the Crown Jewels [at least some of them]. It is most famous for its "invited guests": Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard, and the teenaged "eight-day queen, Lady Jane Grey, who were each be-headed there on the "Green" in front of the Queens' House, now the home of the Governor of the Tower. Contrary to popular myth and legend, and more than a few movies, royalty and the privileged enjoyed the comforts and riches of comfortable apartments. The three queens were no exception. Anne Boleyn's case, she came to the Tower through St. Thomas' Gate for her coronation, and returned 3 years later to stay in the same elegant apartment before being beheaded by a 'specially requested' executioner who used a sword instead of an ax which was supposed to, befitting her station in life, make her death 'easier.' The three queens were buried in the fortress's chapel. Other "invited guests" like William Penn, and Sir Walter Raleigh also 'enjoyed' comfortable housing, and Sir Walter Raleigh stayed there three times for such extended periods that he had his own vegetable garden!

We enjoyed our time there, and think we may return to see the parts of the fortress we didn't have time to see. We even saw a bride, groom, & wedding party after their marriage in the aforementioned chapel, complete with yeomen warders & bagpipist. This coming week promises to be equally varied and full of tasks we do enjoy doing, as well as a few challenges in working with the ever-changing [or being updated] iMOS. Sister Hawley will also create her first mission newsletter, Truth Will Prevail. She'll include the president's message, birthdays and baptism, spiritual thoughts and scriptures, photos & short bio on the new missionaries, and 'parting words' from those missionaries who have completed their missions and returned home. Each day is so busy that the hours fly by. What a wonderful and choice blessing this mission is proving to be! It looks like we will fill up our Saturdays as well: next Saturday we are taking a tour with 2 other couples to see parts of Buckingham Palace, the royal art collection & 19 rooms including the state dining room, and the Royal Mews, which is a functioning stable and garage for horses, royal carriages and motorized vehicles in use today by the current royal family. The following Saturday we will take a day-long bus ride south to Surrey to attend sessions at the London Temple, a dream-come-true for Sister Hawley, and a longed-for experience for both E/S H. We have missed attending the temple each week and look forward especially to attending a temple again and partaking of the Spirit there.

NEWS of the WEEK

Week of Aug 31 to Sep 5, 2009

This is transfer week. We have been and are very busy. Most days we leave the flat by 8:30 AM and get back between 7 and 8 PM. Between walking & bus rides, it takes about 30 minutes to go to/from the office/flat. There is much to do. We received 18 new missionaries from the MTC in Preston and sent 17 missionaries home. The office was bulging from a.m. Tuesday until mid-day Thursday. We were planning on 22 new missionaries, but there were visa problems for two: one elder plus a sister missionary coming from Pakistan. Another elder from Italy was sent on to the Provo MTC until October to learn English and one elder was released and sent home due to significant health issues.

Sister Hawley has been most busy getting out all of the correspondence on these new and departing missionaries. All families are contacted by mail and there are training manuals to prepare for the new missionaries, training manuals to prepare for each new Trainer, District Leader & Zone Leader. She schedules for President Patch all of the interviews for departing and arriving missionaries and also prepared an orientation for the new missionaries. This is on top of all of her normal responsibilites. With this many changes and the last transfer in August, the mission force has changed by almost 25% new faces. This transfer meant that almost every conpanionship was changed and that meant 50 or so letters being sent to coordinate the transfers.

It is fun to see the new elders and one sister missionary, so excited and ready. Eyes wide open with anticipation. The process goes something like this. They arrived on a bus from Preston after a five hour bus ride. They move all of their luggage into the cultural hall. We feed them. Twenty large pizzas were ordered. (making Perfect Pizza's day with an order of over 240 Pounds, or about $400. Yes, they like the missionaries business!) After eating and settling down they were taken up three flights of stairs because the elevator was not working, and put in the Conference room, [really the high council room] where orientations are held. This orientation included finances, getting the JPMorgan debit cards and how to use them, the mission rules and expectations, obtaining reibursement for travel expenses and setting up flats. They were interviewed by the Mission President and the Assistants to the President took over during the interviews and led them through the training book: preparing and what and how to study as there is a prescribed plan for them for the next six weeks. The new traniners were trained the previous day. By three o'clock the new missionaries were taken to the Mezzanine floor and more training by the AP's was given. The new missionaries are seated with a chair between them. The trainers meantime are on another floor with the president getting last minute information and a picture card of the missionary they will train. As the new missionaries finished with training they began to sing "Called To Serve", and as they are singing the Mission President leads the trainers into the room from the back and the trainers seek out their new companions amoung the new elder's and sisters and of course the music and singing soon stops. There are many hugs and excited faces as they meet the new companion with whom they are assigned and whom they have never seen before. It was hard to keep back the tears when you realize this is the Lord's work and these young Sons of Helman and Sister's too are so ready and eager to serve.

The president then gave them a few words. Photos were taken by Sister Hawley and Elder Weibell] on the main floor with trainers, new missionaries, and President/Sister Patch, and then they were off. These photos will now be sent to the parents, along with a handwritten letter by their son/daughter, and accompanied by a letter from the mission president. They collected their luggage and were out of the doors being led and directed by the senior companions to public buses and trains to their various areas of assignment. Some will travel 3-4 hours by bus and/or train to reach their areas.

Interviews then began for the missionaries who were leaving. They had been filtering in from all over the mission. The president and his wife held a farewell dinner for them in their flat and dessert was shared back in the Cultural Hall at about 8 PM. Four parents were there to pick up their missionaries and they came at 8 PM to make that fun transition. The missionaries not with parents were taken to hotel rooms, all previously arranged by Sister Hawley, and went by shuttle the next morning to the Heathrow Airport: some to the USA, some to Germany, Denmark, Wales, and the Netherlands. Those returning within the UK went by bus and train.

It has been difficult to get our regular duties done with the mission office being used as a recreation room and reception or social gathering point. We see much hugging and back slapping and excitement as they interact with each other about the work and renew friendships and past associations as companions. We are tired, happy and exhausted. We seem to blend into the back ground and have been the facilitators of this activity through our preparations. Sister Hawley coordinates all of the travel arrangements and communications with parents well in advance of the departure. We had to trouble-shoot two problems. One missionary going to Rotterdam in the Netherlands was taken to the wrong airport. We got him on a later fight and got him to the London City Airport for him to get his flight home. We needed to call his parents in the Netherlands to let them know of the problem and the change in schedule. It only made him about three hours later in arrival, but to Amsterdam Airport about an one hour drive from Rotterdam. Another set of elders, flying to the States on the first leg of travel together from Heathrow, had different flight times. Sister Hawley made a few phone calls and discovered the problem -- the airline had changed the flight time w/o notifying us -- and the elders were able to make the flight home in time.

Now you know something about transfers. In the future it will be less hectic. We will know more, but the number of missionaries will be much less. The next transfer in mid October will involve only 7 new missionaries and 3-6 going home. We will figure it out this week and begin the notificaiton process. Thank heavens for computers, "Mail Merge" and technology to facilitate all of this correspondence and communication. We receive the travel plans from SLC via email.

We also took receipt of twenty cases of the Book of Mormon in English this week. You might be interested to note that we keep over fifty different language translations of the Book of Mormon in the office for use by the missionaries, as London is so diverse. President Patch invites Elder Hawley to go and look at flats with him. He is concerned about each missionary, and wants each flat to be healthy and comfortable. He takes his responsibility for these missionaries in his care seriously. One of Elder Hawley's responsibilities is management of flats. Mechanics around the zones maintain the vehicles physically, but Elder Hawley maintains the paperwork and the finances for these two areas as well as general mission expenses. We also meet with the office elders and the president twice a month regarding general office and administrative matters. The biggest and most time-consuming job Elder Hawley has is to keep records on financial matters and to pay the bills on time.

Sister Patch has asked us to write up a job description. One of the first things we are going to say is that this is a duet of jobs that needs a good 4-6 weeks of training for each couple who is called to serve in the office. We have had good trainers. The president also wants us to clean up and reorganize the office, and this includes everything from the files to the furniture to the decorating! Never a dull moment in London!

NEWS of the WEEK

The above photograph is of our newest grandson, Mason Robert Hawley, newborn. It's here on the blog "just because" we are his grandparents. We wish we could hold him and mug&hug him, and "kiss him on the neck," as my grandma used to say. Since we can't we're enjoying looking at all the photos of him, and of all of our other grandchildren. Mason is #14. We have 6 grandsons and 8 granddaughters. As each one arrives we feel the Lord is multiplying our blessings -- a "multiplicity of blessings," as it says in the D&C.

We are, we hope, mostly ready for this week's upcoming transfers: On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday the MP holds "departing interviews" with the 18 released & going home this week.

One elder left last weekend early in order to make his school schedule. The 18 [1 sister and 17 elders] depart on Wednesday night if they are being picked up by family, or on Thursday morning. On Tuesday current trainers hold two training sessions for the newly called trainers. On Wednesday Transfers are announced and everyone shows up at the office for THESE announcements. We have already made all changes on iMOS; the President's photo board gets changed on Tuesday night. Also on Wednesday the 17 arriving missionaries are picked up at the airport and brought to the office, where Elder & Sister Hawley will orient them and hopefully make them feel welcome and a little less nervous. Again we have 1 sister coming and the remainder are elders. One final elder will be coming on September 7th, from Italy via the Provo MTC where he is learning English.

As Finance Secretary, Elder Hawley explains the missionary's credit card use, and their monetary monthly allotment, and gives a general overview of reimbursements for things like travel expenses and emergency funds. He will also discuss with them the Provisional Drivers License requirements.

As Mission Secretary, Sister Hawley collects passports, issues mobile phones for those companionships that don't already have them, dispurses proselyting supplies. She explains how they can send her referrals, write President's letters, and keep their flats clean [because they will be inspected!]. She asked them to notify her if their parents' address changes. She will hand out New Missionary packets, pocket planners, and start them writing their first letter home to their parents.

Sister Hawley was told that once E/S Hawley get through 2 transfers they will be experts! We are putting our faith in the Lord, and will do our very best to welcome these missionaries to England!

Whether it's Transfers week, Zone Conferences, or just "normal" days at the ELM, E/S Hawley start their days by rising around 6 a.m. We shower & dress, prepare & eat breakfast & do dishes; study our scriptures and pray together, and leave for the office some time between 8 & 9 a.m. The office elders & APs live together and come to the office in the mornings for their study time, so we try to work quietly until 10 a.m. when they are done. At first we went out to lunch, but more and more we just bring something from home that we can eat-on-the-run. There is no such thing as a "lunch hour!" We work until 5, but there are many nights when we feel we need to work longer, and some nights when we don't leave until 7:30 p.m. At home we prepare and eat dinner, clean up, say our prayers after reading from the Ensign, and tumble gratefully into bed. If we have a late night at the office, we try to fit in things like grocery shopping and laundry before or after work, especially if we want to do something social on Saturdays, like we did yesterday when we went with the Hyde Park Ward on a bus / day trip to Bournemouth, a seaside resort town on the southern English coast. This week we also went with some other mission couples to Royal Albert Hall for a concert. What an impressive performance and building! [See photos above]

Missions are certainly not boring! Our days are filled from start to end, and they fly by because we are busily engaged and totally engrossed in what we are learning and doing! Serving a mission is so good for each individual and for marriage, especially because we can share with each other all aspects of this extraordinary experience! How grateful we are that we made the choice to serve this mission!

NEWS of the WEEK

It has been a busy week at the office. Sister Hawley is getting things ready for transfers the first week of September. We continue to learn new tasks and details that need to be done, and most on a periodic repeat basis. The iMOS computer program the Church recently implemented online is a very useful tool, but being new it has some glitches which we are trying to work through/around until some of them are fixed by programmers in Salt Lake. Some of what worked in the U.S.A. does not work with the banking system in other countries -- this is just an example. However, we are moving ahead. Sister Hawley completed on her own the entering of baptismal records and the Church report and sending them to SLC through iMOS. Pretty good stuff! This week coming up is our last week of training with one of the two office elders, because next week he will be transferred as part of the regular 6-week transfer cycle. This elder has given wonderful service in the mission office for seven months, and he is excited and eager to be teaching the gospel again in the field. He has been an AP and will most likely be given a ZL spot in his new area.

On Monday evening many of the senior missionaries [some 8 or more couples + 2 senior sisters] went to see the stage production of "Hello, Dolly." It was performed outside at a half-round theatre in Regents Park, and it was a wonderful production. We went by TUBE [subway] for our first experience and we did very well on the stairs. We handled the four flights of stairs [each way x2] quite well and were pleased, since we had worried about that. Portia slipped and sprained her ankle this week but she did quite well and had no problems at all. All of the walking must be paying off and building up our legs.

Saturday morning we invited 2 couples, 4 elders [office+APs], 3 sister missionaries, and 2 senior sisters over to our flat for American waffles. The flat was crowded, but it worked out quite well, and we thoroughly enjoyed having them here. One of the young sisters wrote such a lovely thank you note, and when Portia spoke to her afterwards she said that there was a good feeling in our flat, and that it felt like a family gathering at home.

It seems that our flat is considerably larger and better outfitted than some others, and definitely a step up from what the young elders live in. It is about 800 square feet, and we are especially happy with it, even with the dinky kitchen as it is big enough for 2-3 people at one time. The washer-dryer works, even if the clothes don't come out completely dry. We take the finished load and dry the clothes the rest of the way on a folding rack that came with the flat. There is even a dishwasher, a counter-top model that is large enough to do two enough dishes from a meal for two. The beef is good here: Sunday for dinner we had pot roast, baked potatoes and corn on the cob. Sounds like a Utah dinner at home....

The Hyde Park Chapel was very full on Sunday, as usual, with many tourists and visitors who come for vacations or business trips to London. Portia spent time with and befriended a sister from Denmark. There are many Americans, but also Saints from Sweden, Germany, Denmark, Russia and other lands. This is a very multi-cultural place. I have never heard English spoken in so very many ways--and some of it we can even understand, but not all. There are many dedicated Saints here. Every area of the England London Mission is covered by a stake. There are no districts here as the Church is fully organized in all areas. The president and his wife have been gone for 5 days to the annual mission presidents' seminar in Preston, England. We have been taking care of business without them since last Wednesday. Nothing very difficult. One elder reported in with the flu and we recommended he be put to bed and given plenty of liquids and try to be careful to not give the flu to his companion elder. England is all on alert about the Swine Flu.

We see the need and have some desires to share the gospel with others, but our calling and time in the office will probably not allow for much of that. We are happy to support and provide what the missionaries need to be successful in the work. We keep copies of the Book of Mormon in the office in perhaps 50-60 different translations. I was asked the other day to find a Book of Mormon in French and another in Hungarian. This is quite the adventure to even recognize what language some books are printed in. I finally went online and found a site that listed the books by language. I might not be able to read it but if I know the letters I can find it. We were out of copies in these languages and so we ordered more.

We still sometimes feel out of our comfort zone, and there is much to learn, but we are getting to feel more relaxed day by day. Portia loves every part of being in London and working in the office, even on days past when there was so much to learn so quickly. She says it is a challenge that is energizing and exciting. Thank you for all the prayers and emails and encouragement! They keep us uplifted and inspired.

Week of Aug 9-16

Another busy week trying to grasp the ways of this mission office. The elders are great and patient with us. We now know how to process new missionaries, and we have 22 more coming is two weeks. We turned in the monthly mileage report to the area office in Solihull, England. We are learning much more about finding and getting flats ready for missionaries, closing out old flats, paying the various charges and council taxes and keeping current with 58 different flats through out the mission. I think that we are settling in and things do not frighten us as much as at first, but there is much to learn and comprehend. Sister Hawley and Elder Hall are preparing for transfers in two weeks. For the second time in a row, transfers include over 20 going home and almost 20 arriving. I guess if we want to gain experience, this can be categorized under "trials by fire!" Two of the elders needed something this week -- one a referral that was lost and another a binder with all his important papers. Sister Hawley knew where both were, and both said delightedly, "Moms always know where everything can be found!"

This week was Zone Conference week. Every six weeks President Patch holds three days of Zone Conferences at three different ward buildings throughout the mission. The Zones correspond to the Stakes organized in the mission. The Watford Zone corresponds to the Watford Stake, the Hyde Park Zone to the Hyper Park Stake, the Ipswich Zone to the Ispwich Stake and so forth for about 8 or 9 stakes. The proselyting areas are set up by Wards. And a great deal of emphasis is placed on the working with the ward mission leaders and getting the members involved in the teaching and fellowshipping. The Church uses a Key Indicator system to tract progress with investigators. It is a good measure of missionary activity and diligence also. Last week 10 were baptized into the church. The month of July produced 19 baptisms. So the work is moving forward.

It was good to be with the Elders and Sisters and listen to the instruction and discussion of the work that we are to be doing, and how to improve. The President spent some considerable time about the baptism of Christ, why is was that He needed to be baptized, and the final conclusion is powerful and known to us all. Everyone on earth (and in the spirit world) must be baptized by authorized agents of the Lord in order to have full participation in the atonement. John 3:5. We are the agents who have the knowledge and the delegated authority for this people and we need to listen to the spirit to be led to those whom the Lord has prepared to hear His message.

I don't think is rained this week! Maybe a few drops, but the weather has been dry and in the 70's with some humidity in the 60 and 70 percent range. We are learning the bus routes and times better. I have been wearing a pedometer and we walk about 2.5 to 3 miles a day in our routine. I know I am tired when we get home about 6:30 or 7:00 PM. We are finding new foods, but one can get most of the things we find in the States, just under strange names and about twice as expensive and such dinky sizes. I don't think they have large packages of anything. The fruits and vegetables are good and plentiful. I bought "Cornwall Pasties," which are meat pies that can be eaten like a sandwich. Interesting!

You might be interested to know that each missionary pair has a cell phone assigned. I also noted that the mission bill for cell phones runs over 3,000 pounds per month, that's over $5500 per month. This is a great way to contact missionaries and for them to do missionary work. Technology is working here. We have our phone and just pick-up a charger for it to use at home, since before we could only charge it at the office. Portia got to call one set of elders Friday in Basildon to tell them that we'd received the referral of a family ! and that the father had a set baptism date, and that he wanted to find the missionaries and to take his family to church [tomorrow] AND that he wants the missionaries to teach his wife! Sounds golden to us!

We were told by most of the missionary couples that everyone falls down. The sidewalks are mostly of cement pavers, so there are a lot of seams and many uneven areas, as well as cobble stones and the like. Portia had her fall this week as we were going out for lunch and she turned her ankle on one of these very uneven areas and down she went. Fortunately, she was unhurt by the fall. Her clothes were not even soiled, she has no bruises or scrapes, but she does have a sprained ankle and is limping about and was in a good deal of pain. She is a good lady and is fareing quite well. We hope this heals real soon. We know that the Lord is looking out for us and it could have been so much worse. We iced it and got a cab to take us home. We do not need to fall anymore as we have now done it and can forego any more such events.

Elder Weibell, a missionary from Germany working in the mission office, had his birthday this week and we knew of a German Bakery on Old Brompton Road and brought him German Pretzels and Apple Strudel for his birthday. Missionaries are always hungery and eager to eat.

A new couple entered the mission on Tuesday. Brother and Sister Miles. It turns out she worked at the Utah Department of Health in the HR Department and I knew her quite well there. They are assigned as proselyting missionaries in Wembley just north west of London. They get a car and a phone, and need to find a place to live just as we did.

The people of London are very diverse. Many nationalities and languages. There are so many varieties of English being spoken; we need to listen very carefully to understand. Most people are polite and outwardly friendly. We are doing well and are still way out of our comfort zones. The gospel is true and wonderful.

Love, Elder Hawley

NEWS OF THE PAST WEEK

It’s been quite a full week at the ELM. The president was only there on Monday. He spent the other four days traveling throughout the mission. We doubt they ever get a full p-day themselves. The weather has continued to be warm and dry, with rain commencing Thursday night after a particularly humid afternoon. The rain continued well into the night; as a result, Friday was quite a pleasant and comfortable day, weather-wise. We are grateful for air conditioning in the main office; those in the Employment, Outreach and FHC offices come upstairs for a “breath of cool air.”

We continue with our training, and a few more things are falling into place and making sense to us. I don’t think we realized how many tasks there are for the office staff to do. We were promised that the Lord would help us to learn all that we are asked to do. Each day presents both challenges and blessings. We feel the age difference between us and the office elders, and yet we know we bring life experience, wisdom in business dealings, more attention to detail, and some maturity. We can match their hard work and willingness to learn. It is exciting to see them come back into the office after having a chance to teach the gospel to investigators. They are on a “spiritual high,” quite literally.

Much of Don’s training is concentrated into two areas, cars [mileage, maintenance, the occasional accident, and so forth]; and flats. There is a lot to learn, and much experience to gain. As President Hinckley used to remind us, it is a great responsibility to manage tithing and fast offering funds; we are as careful as we can be with the Church’s money, the Lord’s money. And we had no idea how generous the Church is to all the missionaries world-wide.

My duties include: keeping a current calendar, attending proselyting & administration meetings with the MP, APs, Elder Hawley, and office elders, keeping track of “moves” within the mission, checking/tracking transfers, arrivals and departures, maintaining records of missionaries as well as baptisms and referrals, updating the organizational roster, correspondence with parents, missionaries, stake presidents and bishops, preparing schedules for the president’s interviews with his missionaries in various locations throughout the mission, ordering supplies of all kinds, and making sure the president’s car is loaded with the supplies he takes with him to various mission locations. And this is just for “starters!” It’s all good, and our goal is to become so comfortable with all these tasks so as to do them accurately, quickly, and without difficulty.

Some things about England feel very comfortable and familiar. So much of our heritage comes from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. Other things are just fun! For example, if something is to be thrown away, we just “bin it!” So, a waste paper basket or garbage can is a “BIN.” We walk to the grocery store and bring our groceries home in a “trolley.” It’s not “right now” or as soon as you can, but “straightaway.” And don’t ask where the bathroom is! You’ll be shown a room with a sink and/or possibly the tub and shower. Ask for “the toilet”, possibly the lavatory, or the “W.C.” [which stands for the old-fashioned “water closet.”] Best yet: “Where’s the Loo?”

NEWS FLASH...NEWS FLASH...NEWS FLASH!!!

Mason Hawley, 8 lbs 4 oz, and 19", made his arrival at 4:22 a.m. MST. Mother Rachel and baby are doing fine. Dad Rob is catching some Zzzz's. Nana & Grandpa Hawley are THRILLED to welcome their 14th grandchild and 6th grandson. They send their hugs and all their love across the waters and the miles to the Rob & Rachel Hawley Family!